The studies outlined in this proposal can all be grouped under the large heading of ocular inflammatory disease. Basically it is directed to investigate 3 major unsolved problem areas encountered in clinical ophthalmology: 1) Acceleration of corneal epithelial regeneration for chronic corneal ulceration resulting from a variety of pathologic conditions e.g. after penetrating keratoplasty, alkali burns experimental herpes simplex keratitis, and delayed epithelization of the cornea resulting from topical corticosteroids. 2) To determine the role played by non-hematogenous interocular protein transfer in the pathogenesis of idiopathic bilateral uveitis and/or sympathetic ophthalmia. 3) To develop a suitable standard animal model for fungal endophthalmitis and thereafter evaluate antifungal agents and approaches to therapy in this model. Healing of corneal epithelial erosions or ulcer constitute a major unsolved problems in clinical ophthalmology. The effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in promoting repair of the corneal epithelium damaged under a variety of conditions will comprise a major aspect of this study. Furthermore, a systematic evaluation of EGF for toxicity and antigenicity in animals will be conducted. Although not a part of this proposal, these studies may lead to a large clinical trial of EGF in humans with epithelial defects or chronic ulcerations of the cornea. Further studies on the phenomenon of non-hematogenous interocular protein transfer are planned to elucidate or identify the pathway of the interocular transfer, the limiting size of molecule which can be transferred and the kinetics of the transfer as influenced by systemic sensitization. These studies will provide valuable basic information to other understanding of the bilaterality of many interocular inflammatory processes. The third aspect of the proposed research will be the development and characterization of a relevant animal model for fusarium solani endophthalmitis. Preliminary studies have shown that this is feasible in the rat without the use of corticosteroids which are necessary to produce experimental keratomycosis in many species. Standardization and characterization of this model will provide a system for evaluating and developing specific antifungal agents as well as other therapeutic alternatives for the management of this disease.